Gauging machine



Feb. 8, 1944.

w.s. REYNOLDS 2,341,292

c-AUGING MAGHINE l Filed May 28) 1942 4 sheetssneet 1 Fig. l.

WAQYREN SR1-:mana

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" ATTORNEYS v- Feb. 8, 1944. w,A s. REYNOLDS 2,341,292

GAUGING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 sgr .@x

INVENTOR Wig-@REN EREYNULD.

f f www ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 8, 1944 GAUGENG MACHINE Warren S. Reynolds, Stratford, Conn., assignor to Remington Arms Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application May 2s, 1942, serial No. 444,779

16 Claims.

The present invention relates to an automatic inspection machine, particularly for the inspection of cartridges for the purpose of passing cartridges having a predetermined Aperfect profile and body length and rejecting cartridges having imperfections in profile and excessive body length. Cartridges from their nature must be extremely accurate in profile and body length in order to fit properly in the cartridge chamber of the gun, as projections upon the profile or excessive body length will `cause jamming and serious damage.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine of relatively great sensitivity, to the end that slight variations will cause the machine to be actuated to reject -a cartridge having even very slight imperfections, and which at the same time includes positive mechanism having suiiicient movement and force to eifectually cooperate with the imperfect cartridge, and for this purpose it is proposed to provide a contact member arranged to be engaged by the cartridges, and in the case of imperfect cartridges to be moved thereby, whether the imperfection be substantial or of a relatively minute order, and to provide in cooperative relation therewith a cartridge gripping mechanism, between which and the contact means there is provided a movement multiplying mechanism by means of which a very slight movement of the conta-ct means will be multiplied into a substantial movement of the gripping means.

A further object is to provide feeding means in the form of a gauge into which the cartridges are adapted to be fitted, cartridges having an oversized prole or projections thereon being revented from fully engaging the gauge, and cartridges which are of an excessive length projecting from such gauge, and to provide feeding means in connection with such gauge which will cause it to successively piek up and feed cartridges into relation with the contact and gripping mechanism. It is further proposed to provide such feeding means which will yield during its feeding stroke, so that the forward feeding movement of the gauge will be arrested in the event of the projection of a `cartridge therefrom for any distance up to substantially the full length of the cartridge, so that there will be no chance of excessive pressure being applied to the cartridge which might cause it to re.

A further object is to provide mechanism for automatically feeding individual cartridges into aligned position to be picked up by the gauge mechanism.

A further object is to provide automatic means for ejecting the perfect cartridges from the gauge whereby they flow to a suitable receptacle, the imperfect cartridges being removed from the gaugev by the gripping mechanism associated withthe contact means, and whereby such imperfect cartridges are directed to another receptacle.

With the above and other objects in View, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingv drawings, and this embodimentwill be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the automatic inspection machinaaccording to the illustrated exemshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a detailvertical sectional view,ltaken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, showing the cartridge feed guide and feed slide for feeding the cartridges into. line with the gauging mechanism, ,this view being on a somewhat larger scale than.Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line 5-5cf Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the feed guide and feed slide as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 showing the feed slide in its projected position, wherein a cartridge is disposed in axial alignment with the reciprocating cartridge feed gauge.

Fig. 8 is a plan view, on a still. larger scale, of the Contact and cartridge gripping mechanism, showing `the reciprocating .cartridge feeding i gauge in projected relation therewith, and showing a cartridge of perfect vprofile and body length engaged therein, the feed guide and slide mechanism being broken away for the sake of clearness. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, and showing the reciprocating cartridge feeding gauge and the cartridge contact and gripping mechanism in side elevation.

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the cartridge Contact yand gripping mechanism, looking outwardly from the left as shown in Fig. 9, the cartridge chute being shown in vertical section, taken along the line iiii6 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a plan view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the cartridge contact and gripping mechanism in its operative position as actuated by an overlength cartridge, and showing in dot-and-dash lines the open released position of the gripping mechanism and the partially retracted position of the cartridge feeding gauge.

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view, showing the cartridge feeding gauge in its fully retracted position wherein the passed cartridge of perfect profile and length is, seen in Fig. 8, is ejected.

Fig. 13 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken along the line I3-l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken along the line lli-I4 of Fig. 12..

Similar reference characters indicate correspending parts throughout the several gures of the drawings.

The automatic inspection machine, vaccord-- ing to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention, consists of three main corelated mechanisms, namely, a reciprocating cartridge gauge mechanism, having a pocket shaped to correspond to a perfectly shaped exact length cartridge into which the cartridges are adapted to be tted, a cartridge feed slide mechanism operating transversely to the reciprocatory axis of movement of the cartridge gauge, and adapted to feed the individual cartridges into longitudinal line with the gauge to be picked up thereby. and a contact and gripping mechanism adapted to be actuated by a cartridge of excessive length or imperfect profile and which does not fit properly in the feed gauge, and which is actuated to grip the neck end of the imperfect cartridge to remove it from the gauge.

Referring to the drawings, the inspection machine comprises a horizontal bed-plate support I provided with a substantially L-shape opening II, into which are tted parts of the cartridge feed slide mechanism and the inclined chute means, as will presently more fully appear, and an elongated rectangular slot opening I2, in which the slide member of the reciprocating cartridge gauge means is engaged, as will presently more fully appear.

Along the longitudinal sides of the slot opening I2, there are secured inwardly projecting parallel slide bearing strips I3-I3, between which is slidably engaged a slide member I6 projecting above and below the support Hl, a cylindrical opening l being provided in its lower portion in which is secured by a set-screw Ita a tubular cylindrical slide feed rod l 6, extending longitudinally of the machine and having sliding bearing in a bearing bracket Il secured to the underside of the support I0 at the outer end of the slot opening I2 and in a bearing bracket I8 secured to the underside of the support I0 near the inner end of the slot opening I2. This bracket I8 also mounts an adjustable stop screw I9, projecting rearwardlyv from the bracket and adapted to constitute a positive stop to the forward reciprocating movement of the cartridge gauge, its adjusted position being. fixed by a locking lever' 2B screwed upon its forwardly projecting end and bearing against the forward face of the bracket.

Adjacent and forwardly of the slide member I4, there is secured upon the rod IB a block member 2|, xed to the rod by means of set screws 22--22 and provided at its underside with a transversely extending slide groove 23, in which is slidably engaged a rectangular shaped slide shoe 24 pivotally mounted upon a stud 25 secured upon the forward end of a swinging feed lever 26 pivotally mounted at its other end upon a vertically disposed post 2B secured to and projecting downwardly from the support iii. Upon one side of the feed block member ZI there is provided a projecting stop lug 29 disposed in longitudinal line with the stop screw i9, and adapted to contact the screw I9 to limit and determine the forward position of movement of the reciprocating cartridge gauge.

Swinging movement is imparted to the lever 2S by means of an expansible link connected at one end to the lever 26 and at its other end to an eccentric drive disc 3B, this expansible link connection comprising a relatively long rod member 3i having a clevis connection 32 with the lever 26, a relatively short rod member 33 having a pivot bearing 34 at its end pivctally connected with a stud pin 35 secured in eccentric yrelation to the disc 3th, and a tubular member 35 telescopically engaged upon the rods SI and 33 and provided with an elongated slot 3'! through which a pin 38 secured to the rod 3i projects, and which is connected by a spring 39 to a pin 63 secured to the rod 3i. Normally, the ends of the rods 3l and 33. abut each other within the tubular member 36, and during retracting movement of the reciprocating cartridge gauge from the full line position of the lever 25 to the dot-and-dash line position, as shown in Fig. l., there is a positive rigid link connection between the eccentric disc 3Q and the lever 26. However, in the projecting movement of the gauge, the link is adapted to expand in the event that there is any interruption in the projecting movement short of the full projected position, and such as may occur in the case of a cartridge of excessive length or imperfect profile. Such an imperfect cartridge may project from the end of the gauge in variable degree substantially up to the length of the cartridge, and in which case the movement of the gauge and the lever 2G is arrested while the eccentric disc 3i) continues its movement causing the link to expand.

The eccentric disc 38 is provided with a downwardly extending hub 4I mounted upon the vertical shaft 42 of a power unit 53, comprising an electric motor and reduction gearing, and suspended from the underside of the bed plate support il) upon an angular suspension bracket 44. This power unit drives cam means for operating the other cooperating mechanisms of the machine, as will hereinafter be more fully described, it being pointed out here that the machine operates through a complete cycle during each revolution of the eccentric disc 3E.

At the upper end of the slide member it, there is provided a cylindrical passage d5 having a longitudinal slit and clamping jaw portions le and M at one side, engaged by a clamping bolt 43 for rigidly securing within the passage 5 the outer end of the shank i9 of the cartridge gauge supporting socket head 5e. The shank 49 is of tubular form and at its outer end is provided with a cylindrical reduced diameter bearing passage 5! in which is slidably engaged a fixed cartridge ejecting rod member 52. This rod member is mounted at its outer screw-threaded end in a bracket 53 secured upon the upper side of the vsupport Ii] outwardly of the end of the slot opening I2, and is adjustably fixed with respect to the bracket by means of a pair of lock nuts 54-54 screwed upon its threaded end portion 2,341,292 against each side of the bracket., At the other end, the cartridge ejecting rod is provided with `a contact head 55 of smaller diameter than the passage in the tubular shank 49 and disposed therein in the projected position of the cartridge gauge, the gauge in its retracted position moving over the head 55 to a point where the head is exposed beyond the end of the gauge, for the purpose of ejecting a cartridge therefrom as shown in Fig. l2, and as will hereinaftermore fully appear.

The cartridge gauge member 56 is of tubular formA and is provided with a cartridge receiving pocket 51 shaped to exactly fit the contour of a perfect cartridge of proper length, the cartridge being engaged therein during the projecting movement of the gauge from the forward divergent endof the pocket. rlhe gauge member is secured in the socket head 56 by means of a set screw 58, and obviously may be conveniently replaced by gauge members of Various lengths and contours depending upon the particular type of cartridge being inspected. A slot 59 is provided in the gauge at one side near the outer end in which is engaged a straight end portion 65a of a spring ring member 6G surrounding the gauge, this straight portion extending slightly into the cartridge receiving pocket for the purpose of frictionally retaining the Vcartridge in position, so that it will not be prematurely disengaged through inertia as the reciprocating cartridge gauge starts its retracting movement. Air holes 6I are provided in the wall of the gauge, so that air will not be entrapped therein as the cartridge is engaged. Y

Within the bed plate support opening Il, at the forward side of the longitudinal line of movement of the reciprocating cartridge gauge member, there is provided a cartridge feed slide mechanism for feeding the individual cartridges transversely into axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the gauge member and in position to be picked up thereby. This mechanism comprises a fixture 62 in the form of a casting provided with attaching ears 63 projecting at each side and secured at the upper side of the support wat each side of the opening Il by means of bolts G. At the upper side of the support I the xture 62 is provided with an inclinded guide-way 65 provided with vertical parallel side walls t and 61 and upon which the cartridges are placed by hand or fed by means of suitable automatic means, so that they roll by gravity downwardly toward the lower end of the guide. For a short distance near the lower end the guide-way is disposed at a slightly increased angle of inclination, as at 68, and in order to prevent the foremost cartridges in the guide-way from accidentally becoming disengaged therefrom there are provided adjacent its forward end and upon the respective side walls S5 and 6'! retaining angle members 69 and Til, the retaining member 69 being flat and projecting over the guide in parallel relation to accommodate the large ends of the cartridges, while the retaining member 'I0 is inwardly offset to accommodate the small ends of the cartridges.

At the underside of the support lll the fixture 52 is provided with an upwardly inclined slide channel 'il in which a reciprocating cartridge feed slide 'l2 is engaged and retained by means of a cover plate 'I3 secured by screws 14. At its forward end, the slide is provided with a shouldered forwardly projecting ledge portion 'l5 disposed adjacent a slot 'I6 at one side of the slide in which the end'of the operating lever is en'- gaged, as will presently more fully appear. Upon the ledge there is secured by screws 'l1 the flanged end 18 ofthe head-block 19 of the slide, the rearward surface of the ange 'I8 disposed within the slot 16 constituting a bearing for the end of the operating lever. The forward end of the head-block is provided with a projecting lip which has its surface tangentially sloped into the concave forward end surface of the head which in the retracted position of the slide is disposed in line with the forward edge of the inclined cartridge guide-way, so that the cartridge rolls into the open-ended pocket provided by the lip 8U and the forward concave end of the headblock, to be thereupon fed into line with the reci-procating cartridgegauge upon projection of the feed slide. L

In order to prevent the cartridges from accidentally slipping out of engagement with the slide before it is projected, there is provided within a slot 8| out into the head-block an angular retaining trigger member 82, pivotally mounted upon a cross pin 83 and provided at its forward end with an upwardly curved finger formation which, as seen in Fig. 4, projects upwardly from the lip 80 of the head-block member into engagement with the foremost cartridge in the guide-way, holding it in a slightly raised position with respect to the slide member pocket, so that its upper surface is obstructed by the lower edge of the retaining member B9, and, consequently, the weight of the following cartridges within the guide-way will not force the foremost cartridge out of engagement with the slide. The trigger member is held in this cartridge retaining position by means of a stop-block 84, secured to the forward end of the cover plate 'I3 by screws 85, and which engages'the downwardly projecting tail end 86 of the trigger member in the retracted position of the slide, causing the forward curved end of the trigger member to project into its retaining position, as seen in Fig. 4. As soon as the slide starts its projecting movement, the for- Y ward curved end of the trigger member is lowered, so that the forward cartridge lowers into engagement with the curved pocket surface and lip 80 cf the head-block of the slide, the succeeding cartridge in the guide-way being at the same time lowered, so that it does not interfere with the forward projecting movement of the slide, the forward upper corner of the slide being moved beyond said next succeeding cartridge which thereupon is engaged with the upper surface of the slide and is supported thereby, as seen in Fig. 7. As the slide is projected the retaining trigger member drops below the surface of the lip 8|), so that the cartridge which is carried by the slide into line with the longitudinal axis of the reciprocating gauge member is free to disengage from the feed slide as it retracts. In order to support the small end of the foremost cartridge in the guide-way there is provided adjacent the forward end of the wall 67 and in relation to the retaining member lll a bracket 8'.' curved substantially like the curvature of the slide head-block member, .but upon a smaller radius, to conform to the relatively smaller radius of the small end of the cartridge.

The transverse reciprocation of the feed slide and the longitudinal reciprocation of the cartridge gauge are so timed that as the cartridge is brought into line with the axis of the gauge thegauge has moved forwardly to a point where it engages over the small end of the cartridge to pick it up from the feed slide, the feed slide thereupon retracting so that it is out of the path of the gauge as the latter continues its projecting movement and fully engages the cartridge.

The operating lever 88 for reciprocating the feed slide is pivotally mounted upon a depending bracket 93 secured at the underside of the support III, being provided at one end with a ro-llsurface bearing end portion 9! engaged in the slot 'I6 of the slide through a notch 92 provided in the cover plate 13, and provided at its other end with a roller 93 riding upon a cam S4. This cam consists of a cylindrical collar member secured upon the hub 4I of the eccentric cam disc 30, the upper surface of the collar being suitably profiled to provide the rise and fall and dwell surfaces of the cam. A spring 85 is connected between a pin 96, provided upon the inner arm of the lever 88, and a bracket arm 9T secured to the lower end of the motor unit sup- Yporting hanger bracket M, this spring yieldably retaining the roller 93 in engagement with the cam 94.

As the individual cartridges are picked up by the reciprocating cartridge gauge they are moved into relation with the contact and gripping mechanism, which in the case cf a perfect cartridge of proper length fitting exactly into the gauge permits the gauge to carry the cartridge with it as it is retracted, whereupon this cartridge is ejected from the gauge upon complete retraction by means of the ejecting rod 55, as shown in Fig. I2, such cartridge dropping into the left-hand section 98 of an inclined chute member having its upper end disposed in the bed plate opening I 2, and secured thereto by angle-attaching pieces 99 at each side thereof. In the case of an imperfect cartridge, having an oversize profile or excessive length, and which projects from the gauge in Varying extent, the contact and gripping mechanism is actuated to grip the imperfect cartridge and remove it from the gauge as the latter is retracted, this cartridge being thereupon dropped into the right-hand section IBI] of the inclined chute, so that the perfect and the imperfect cartridges are directed into separate receptacles.

The contact and gripping mechanism is provided at the end of the opening I! in line with the longitudinal axis of the reciprocating car.- tridge gauge, and comprises a mounting block member Iill of rectangular form secured at its base flange portions I2 by means of bolts |03, this block being provided at its upper side and inwardly of its rearward edge with a T-shaped bearing portion IM provided in its intermediate vertically disposed portion with a horizontal cyylindrical passage 65 axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the reciprocating cartridge gauge, and provided diametrically at each side with horizontal slots IBB. Within the passage IE5 there is slidably engaged a rod Ill'I provided upon its forward end with a cup-shaped contact button member H38, normally disposed in position to contact the large end of the cartridge carried by the gauge member in the projected position of the gauge member, as shown in Fig. 8. This rod has bearing at its rearward end in a bearing bracket |39, provided with a tubular bearing bushing I I0 and secured at its base ange portions by bolts III to the support i0. Adjacent the rearward side of the block IIII a collar II2 is secured upon the rod |01, and in rearwardly spaced relation thereto there is secured upon the rod another collar IIS, between which and the bracket IBB there is provided a helical expansion spring IM normally exerting forward pressure upon the rod to engage the collar H2 with the block iilI, thereby limiting the projected position of the rod and the contact button IUS. The collars may be adjusted upon the rod to respectively position the contact button in predetermined position and to change the tension of the spring II4, as desired.

'I'his spring II4 is of sufficient strength that it will support the cartridge disposed in line with the reciprocating cartridge gauge as the gauge engages with the cartridge following the feeding of the cartridge into line with it by the feed slide mechanism, the cartridge moving from the feed slide as it is first engaged by the gauge to a point where it contacts the button Hi8, being then supported by the button as the gauge member completes its projecting movement into fitting engagement with the cartridge. This support of the spring II4 is just suicient to overcome the frictional resistance that is set up as the cartridge is engaged by the gauge member. However, in the event that the cartridge is of excessive length so that it cannot fully engage the gauge member, or in the event that its pronle is such that it cannot fully engage the gauge member, the spring H4 will yield to allow the contact button |08 and the rod IilI to move inwardly up to the predetermined distance determined by the adjustable stop screw H5 mounted in a bracket I I 5 secured at its base ange portion upon the support Ill adjacent the bearing bracket ISS by means of bolts II'I. The pressure of the spring I I4 is therefore in excess of the frictional resistance set up through normal engagement of a perfect cartridge with the reciprocating cartridge gauge, but is less than the opposing force of the spring 39 of the expansible link member which drives the gauge. The expansible link member functions to allow the projecting movement of the gauge to be arrested when the projection of an excessive length cartridge or an irregular profile cartridge from the gauge member 1 is greater than the limited movement of the rod I0?, so that as the eccentric cam Sil continues its rotation the link member is expanded and simply exerts projecting pressure upon the gauge to hold the cartridge against the contact button |08.

Upon the sides of the block lili, there are provided a pair of opposed gripping nger levers I I8, pivotally mounted upon pivot pins I I9 rearwardly of the T-shaped bearing formation IM, and supported slidably in the slots I llt' at each side, and extending forwardly therefrom beyond the contact button H33, where they are provided at their forward ends with inwardly extending claw-ends IZIJ. These claw-ends are adapted to engage diametrically opposed slots I2! cut into the forward end of the reciprocating cartridge gauge 56 substantially in line with the recessed neck portion i512 of the cartridge A so that by inward movement of the gripping linger levers these clawends wiil engage within the recess H22 of the cartridge. A spring 23 is connected between posts I 2l! provided upon the finger levers and tends to draw them inwardly toward each other. Normally, the finger levers are prevented from moving inwardly to engage the recess |22 by means of a pair of shouldered pins I25, respectively mounted in the levers and abutting diametrically upon each side of a sleeve member IES slidably mounted on the rod lill between the contact button IDB and the mounting block IUI.

These pins are each adjustable inwardly and outwardly in a horizontal slot opening |21 in the finger lever, being fixed in adjusted position .by means of a tightening screw |28 having its head disposed at the upper side of the slotted portion of the lever at one side of the pin and being screwed into the lower side, tightening action of the screw binding the slotted portion of the lever /against the pin. The point of engagement of the pins |25 with the sleeve |26 is relatively close to the forward side of the sleeve so that a relatively small movement of the sleeve in a rearward direction will cause it to disengage from the pins, whereupon the levers ||8 move inwardly into cartridge gripping relation under the action o'f the spring |23 connected between them.

The sleeve |26 is adapted to be actuated rearwardly to iinger lever releasing position through a movement multiplying means actuated by the rearward movement of the contact button |08 and rod |01, so that a very slight rearward movement of this rod |01 will cause a substantially greater rearward movement of the sleeve 26, and consequently there will be a positive disengagement of the sleeve from the pins |25 upon any rearward movement of the contact button, however slight. This means comprises a movement multiplying lever |29 having a long arm and a short arm and pivotally mounted upon a supporting post |30, the short arm of this lever being engaged with the rearward side of the collar I I2 fixed upon the rod |01, while the long arm is connected by a link I3 |l to the short arm of a second movement multiplying lever |32 pivotally mounted upon a supporting post |33, the long arm of this second lever being provided at its end with a slot |34 engaged by a downwardly projecting pin |35 provided upon the flat underside of the sleeve I 26. Between the sleeve |26 and the mounting block ||J| there is provided a helical expansion spring |36 engaged around a tubular collar extension |31 of the sleeve, this spring exerting forward pressure upon the sleeve and through the lever |32 and link |3| exerting pressure upon the lever |29 in counter-clockwise direction to press its short arm against the collar ||2.

During each operative cycle the gripping linger levers I9 are swung outwardly from their normal position as shown in Fig. 8 to the open position as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 11, or equally, this opening movement being for the dual purpose of releasing the end of the cartridge gripped by thefingers in the event that the mechanism has been operated to the gripping position, as shown in Fig. 11, and moving the pins |25 to a position where they will be clear of the sleeve |26 to allow it to resume its normal projected position under the pressure of the spring |36, the closing movement of the gripping finger levers being limited by engagement of the pins |25 with the'sleeve |26.

For the purpose of bringing about this opening and closing movement, there is provided a cam lever |38 mounted upon the upper end of a vertical shaft |39 journaled in a bearing bushing |40 secured in the support I0, this lever being provided at its forward end with a wedge-shaped cam plate portion lill having its inclined side edges disposed between the posts 24 to which the spring |23 is connected. Upon the lower end of the shaft |39 there is secured a lever arm |42 provided at its end with a roller |43, which rides upon the peripheral cam surface |44 of the eccentric cam disc 30 and is yieldably pressed into engagement therewith by a spring |45 connected between a post |46 provided upon the lever arm |42 and a post |41 secured upon the under side of the support I0. The peripheral cam surface |44 has a rise which at one point in the operative cycle causes the lever arm |42 and the cam lever arm |38 to swing in clockwise direction to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 11, engaging the cam plate portion |4| between the posts |23 and causing the gripping finger levers H9 to be moved to openposition.

summarizing the operation of the machine, the cartridges A' are fed into the feed slide 65 Where they move by gravity into the pocket of the reciprocating slide 12, the foremost cartridge being retained therein by the trigger lever 82, which in cooperation with the retaining member 69 preventsthis foremost cartridge from accidentally disengaging from the feed slide through the weight of the following cartridges in the feed guide. The feed slide is projected to the position shown in Fig. 7 to align the cartridge with the longitudinal axis of the reciprocating cartridge gauge 56, which starts its projecting movement in time to engage the cartridge before retraction of the feed slide, the feed slide retracting'in time to clear the cartridge gauge as the latter continues its projecting movement. The large end of the cartridge engages the contact buttonV |08, which acts as anr abutment therefor as the cartridge engages rthe gauging pocket 51 of the gauge, the spring ||4 being sufficiently strong to resist movement of the contact button |08 and rod |01 during the normal Yengagement of the cartridge with the gauge.

The projected position of the gauge is determined by the stop screw I9, and in the case of a cartridge of proper length and perfect profile fitting exactly in the gauge pocket, the gauge will move to its fully projected position and the cartridge will engage the contact button |08, as shown in Fig. 8, without actuating the contact button to cause actuation of the cartridge gripping levers. Upon retraction of the gauge, the cartridge will be carried with it in retracting direction to the point where the ejecting rod 52 ejects it from the gauge as shown in Fig. 12, this perfect cartridge dropping into the chute 98.

In the case of an over-length cartridge, or a cartridge of imperfect profile which will not fully engage ther gauge andY will therefore project therefrom, such cartridge will cause the contact button |08 and rod |01 to be pressed inwardly, and this inward movement, however slight, will through the movement-multiplying levers |29 and |32 cause the sleeve |26 to be moved inwardly to a substantiallygreater extent than the movement of the contact button, causing the pins |25 to be positively released and allowing the gripping levers ||8 to swing inwardly under the action of the spring |23, so that the claw ends |20 grippingly engage the neck |22 of thev cartridge, as shown in Fig. 11. Upon retraction of the gauge this imperfect cartridge is restrained and disengaged from the gauge, so that it drops into the chute |00.

In the case of a cartridge which is of such excessive length or irregularity that the contact button |08 and rod |01 are pressed inwardly to the point where the stop screw ||5 is engaged, and the cartridge gauge 56 is arrested in its projecting movement short of its full projected position determined by the stop screw |9, the expansion link connecting the lever 26 to the eccentric cam disc 30 expands as swinging movement of the lever is stopped and the cam continues its normal cycle oi rotation, so that irrespective ofthe projection of the cartridge from the gauge there is no likelihood of excessive pressure being applied to the cartridge, or of jamming or damage to the machine.

During each cycle of operation, the cam lever 138 is actuated, causing the gripping levers H8 to swing outwardly to the dot-and-dash line position shown in Fig. 1l, thus allowing the sleeve 125 to resume its normal position between the pins IE5, as shown in Fig. 8. In the case of a perfect cartridge, the gripping levers will simply move to this dot-and-dash line position from the normal postion shown in Fig. 8, whereas in the case of an imperfect cartridge, which actuates the contact and gripping mechanism, the gripping levers move to the dot-and-dash line position from the contracted gripping position shown in Fig. ll.

The form of the invention illustrated in the drawings and described herein is typical and illustrative only, and it is evident that the invention ,is capable of embodiments in other forms, all falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement and having `an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the projecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined point, movable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, and means arranged to be actuated by movement of said contact means to restrain said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

2. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the projecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined point, movable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, article-feeding means arranged in a direction transverse to the reciprocating axis of said gauge adapted in the retracted position of said gauge `to feed said articles transversely into longitudinal line therewith to be picked up thereby upon projecting movement thereof, means to reciprocate said gauge from its retracted position to said predetermined gauging point limit so as to pick up an article from a position in line of movement of the gauge and carry said article toward said contact means, and means arranged to be actuated by movement of said contact means to restrain said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said lgauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

3. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement Aand having an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the vprojecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined point, movable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, .'article gripping means, and

atteinte1 movement-multiplying means cooperatively arranged between said contact means and said gripping means adapted to be actuated by movement of said contact means to cause said gripping means to grip said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

4. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement and having an article receiving gauging pocketr extending axially inwardly from its forward end, a pair of article-receiving means arranged in side-by-side relation beneath the reciprocating gauge between the projected and retracted points of its forward end, movable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, means arranged to be actuated by movement of said contact means to restrain said movementcausing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement ofthe latter, whereby said article drops into said article-receiving means adjacent the projected point of said gauge, and ejection means in proximity to said retracted point adapted to eject from said gauge an article carried thereby in retracting direction, whereby said last-mentioned article drops into said article-receiving means adjacent said 'retracted point of said gauge.

5. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement for a distance equal in length to at least twice the length of said articles and having an article receiving gauging pocket extending axially inwardly from its forward end, a pair of article-receiving means arranged in side-by-side relation beneath the reciprocating gauge between the projected and retracted points of its forward end, movable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article car-- ried thereby, means arranged to be actuated by movement of said contact means to restrain said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retraeting movement of the latter, whereby said article drops into said article-receiving means adjacent the projected point of said gauge, and ejection means in proximity to said retracted point adapted to eject from said gauge an article carried thereby in retracting direction, whereby said last-mentioned article drops into said article-receiving means adjacent said retracted point of said gauge.

6. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a tubular reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket extending axially inwardly from its forward end, a pair of article-receiving means arranged in side-by-side relation beneath the reciprocating gauge between the projected and retracted points of its forward end, movable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the pro-' jected position of said gauge by the end oi an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, means arranged to be actuated by movement of said contact means to restrain said movementcausing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon 4retracting movement of the latter, whereby said 'article drops into said article-receiving means adjacent the projected point of said gauge, and a nxed. ejection rod disposed in said tubular gauge having its forward end in proximity to said retracted point adapted to eject from said gauge an article carried thereby in retracting direction, whereby said last-mentioned article drops into said article-receiving means adjacent said retracted point of said gauge.

7. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, yieldable drive means connected to said gauge to impart reciprocating movement thereto adapted to yield during projecting movement of said gauge, yieldable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged in the projected position of Said gauge by the end of an article carried thereby, and to be yieldably moved by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, the resistance to yielding of said contact means being less than the resistance to yielding of said drive means, article feeding means arranged in a direction transverse to the reciprocating axis of said gauge adapted in the retracted position of said gauge to feed said articles transversely into longitudinal line with said gauge to be picked up thereby upon projection of said gauge and whereby continued projecting movement of said gauge causes said picked up article to be abutted at one end by said contact means as said article engages said gauging pocket of said gauge, and means arranged to be actuated by movement of said contact means to restrain said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

8. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, movable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, stop means arranged to limit the movement of said contact means, means arranged to be actuated by movement of said ccntact means to restrain said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retraction movement of the latter, a swinginfT lever connected to said reciprocating gauge to drive it, an eccentric drive means, and a yieldably expansible drive link between said eccentric drive means and said lever adapted to have expansion movement upon stoppage of the projecting movement of said reciprocating gauge short of its fully projected position.

9. ln an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, movable Contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, an article feeding guide arranged in a direction transverse to the reciprocating axis of said gauge, a reciprocating article feeding slide having a pocket end adapted to receive individual articles from said guide and through projecting movement to feed said articles into longitudinal line with the reciprocating axis of said gauge to be picked up thereby upon projecting movement thereof, means to reciprocate said gauge from a retracted position to a position near the movable contact means so as to pick up an article from said .feed slide pocket, and means arranged to be actuated by movement of said contact means to restrain said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

10. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a reciprocating gauge having rectilinear movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, movable contact means in axial alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, an article feeding guide arranged in a direction transverse to the reciprocating axis of said gauge, a reciprocating article feeding slide having a pocket end adapted to receive individual articles from said guide and through projecting movement to feed said articles into longitudinal line withthe reciprocating axis of said gauge to be picked up thereby upon projecting movement thereof, article retaining means at the end of said guide, for engaging the articles at their upper sides, an article retaining trigger member movably carried by said pocket end of said slide, means adapted in the retracted position of said slide to engage said trigger means to project it into retaining relation, whereby in cooperation with said article retaining means it prevents disengaging movement of an .article from said pocket end of said slide, said trigger means adapted to be retracted into article releasing position upon projecting movement of said slide, and means arranged to be actuated by movement of said contact means to restrain said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

ll. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a movable gauge having to-and-fro movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the projecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined. point, movable contact means in alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, article gripping means disposed outwardly at opposed sides of said contact means normally out of engagement with said article and adapted to be moved inwardly into gripping engagement therewith, and movement-multiplying means cooperatively arranged between said contact means and said gripping means adapted to be actuated by movement of said contact means to cause said gripping means to grip said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

l2. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a movable gauge having to-and-fro movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the projecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined point, a fixed bearing member, a slidable contact rod mounted in said bearing member having a contact end in alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, spring means exerting projecting pressure on the contact rod, stop means associated with said rod to limit its projecting movement, article gripping means disposed outwardly at opposed sides of said contact rod normally out-of engagement with said article and adapted to be moved inwardly into gripping engagement therewith, and movement-multiplying means cooperatively arranged between said contact rod and said gripping means adapted to be actuated by movement of said contact rod to cause said gripping means to grip said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

13. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a movable gauge liaVingto-and-fro movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the projecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined point, a xed bearing member, a slidable contact rod mounted in said bearing member having a Contact end in alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, spring means exerting projecting pressure on the contact rod, stop means associated with said rod to limit its projecting movement, article gripping levers disposed outwardly at opposed sides of said contact rod normally out of engagement with said article and adapted to be moved inwardly into gripping engagement therewith, a spring connected between said gripping levers adapted to exert inward force thereon, an abutment sleeve member slidably mounted o-n Said rod normally engaged by said gripping levers to retain them in open position, and movementmultiplying means cooperatively arranged between said contact rod and said sleeve member adapted to be actuated by movement of said contact rod to cause said sleeve to be moved to disengage it from said gripping levers, whereby said gripping levers move inwardly to grip said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

14. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a movable gauge having to-and-fro movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the projecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined point, a iixed bearing member, a slidable contact rod mounted in said bearing member having a contact end in alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, spring means exerting projecting pressure on the contact rod, stop means associated with said rod to limit its projecting movement, stop means arranged to limit the retracting movement of said contact rod, article gripping levers disposed outwardly at opposed sides of said contact rod normally out of engagement with said article and adapted to be moved inwardly into gripping engagement therewith, a spring connected between said gripping levers adapted to exert inward force thereon, an abutment sleeve member slidably mounted on said rod normally engaged by said gripping levers to retain them in open position, and movement-multiplying means cooperatively arranged between said Contact rod and said sleeve member adapted to be actuated by movement of said contact means to cause said sleeve to be moved to disengage it from said gripping levers, whereby said gripping levers move inwardly to grip said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter.

15. In an inspection machine for gauging arti- CII cles, a movable gauge having to-and-fro movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the projecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined point, a Xed bearing member, a slidable con tact rod mounted in said bearing member having a contact end in alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, springmeans exerting projecting pressure on the contact rod, stop means associated with said rod to limit its projecting movement, article gripping levers disposed outwardly at opposed sides of said contact rod normally out of engagement with said article and adapted to be moved inwardly into gripping engagement therewith, a spring connected between said gripping levers adapted to exert inward force thereon, an abutment sleeve member slidably mounted on said rod normally engaged by said gripping levers to retain them in open position, and movementmultiplying means cooperatively arranged between said contact rod and said sleeve member adapted to be actuated by movement of said contact rod to cause said sleeve to be moved to disengage it from said gripping levers, whereby said gripping levers move inwardly to grip said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter, and cam means arranged to cooperate withsaid gripping levers to move them outwardly during each cycle of to-and-fro movement of said gauge.

16. In an inspection machine for gauging articles, a movable gauge having to-and-fro movement and having an article receiving gauging pocket, means arranged to limit the projecting movement of said gauge to a predetermined point, a xed bearing member, a slidable contact rod mounted in said bearing member having a ccntact end in alignment with said gauge arranged to be engaged and moved in the projected position of said gauge by the end of an abnormally projecting article carried thereby, spring means exerting projecting pressure on said contact rod, stop means associated with said rod to limit its projecting movement, article gripping levers disposed outwardly at opposed sides of said contact rod normally out of engagement with said article and adapted to be moved inwardly into gripping engagement therewith, a spring connected between said gripping levers adapted to exert inward force thereon, an abutment sleeve member' slidably mounted on said rod normally engaged by said gripping levers to retain them in open position, and movement-multiplying means cooperatively arranged between said contact rod and said sleeve member adapted to be actuated by movement of said contact rod to cause said sleeve to be moved to disengage it from said gripping levers, whereby said gripping levers move inwardly to grip said movement-causing abnormal article to cause its disengagement from said gauge upon retracting movement of the latter, said movement multiplying means comprising a movement-multiplying lever arrange-d to be actuated by retracting movement of said contact rod, a movement-multiplying lever connected to said sleeve member, a link connection between said movement-multiplying levers, and spring means cooperating with said sleeve member exerting pressure thereon to yieldably retain it in its normal gripping lever supporting position.

WARREN S. REYNOLDS. 

